All smiles and laughter, two small boys ran across the yard, on a mission to find hidden “treasure.” The instructions given by grandma had been clear: In the patch of tall ferns there would be four promised “gifts”—all the same item but in different colors. They were to search for them until they found them. Once discovered, they could trade colors if they wanted to. Our job as adults was to follow and observe. Three-year-old Benjamin was the first to find a large packaged green glow stick. He raised it in the air shouting, “I found it!” with delight. Seconds…
Our times are in His hands . . . How I was recently reminded of this when my dear friend Sarah’s husband died on May 15. Shocking. Unexpected. How can this be? My heart yet aches with sorrow—for Barry, leaving us too soon; for Sarah, now alone after 35 years of marriage; for their three wonderful daughters, left without a dad. Our times are in His hands . . . An expression of our smallness, and His bigness. But also an expression of hope—that our Heavenly Father has an everlasting plan for us and our loved ones—wherein one day there…
He who bends to himself a Joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the Joy as it flies Lives in Eternity’s sunrise. William Blake, English poet (1757-1827) For centuries philosophers, poets, and other deep thinkers have written about joy—its fleeting and unpredictable nature, and how it’s often found in the little things. The Scriptures reveal joy as a deep-seated spiritual reality, grounded in an awareness of God in and around us. Joy extends beyond the reaches of happiness—the sense of pleasure that often comes and goes depending on circumstance. It’s a warm, sunny day: I’m happy. We’re…
In any struggle we face, praise can provide a path to victory. When problems are viewed as opportunities to praise God and see Him go to work, amazing things can happen. Perhaps no record shows this greater than 2 Chronicles 20:1-26—the story of King Jehoshaphat, who encountered a big problem and praised his way to victory. Here’s a quick paraphrase of the story: A great multitude of the enemy was readying themselves for battle against the King and his people. With no obvious solution in sight, Jehoshaphat ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting and coming together to seek the…
One of the highlights of my week is Tuesday mornings, when I talk and pray with my dear friend K. from Michigan. In prayer, we commit each of our loved ones to God’s care. We lay our concerns at His feet. And we always end the call encouraged in our faith and expecting great things from God. I love how K. begins her prayers by praising the awesome God of the universe—the One who created the stars, knows every hair upon our heads, and holds our lives in the palms of His hands. As together we turn our hearts to…
